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One of Logitech’s main purpose this year at E3 was to prove one thing: Wireless mice are just as capable, and sometimes more so, than corded mice. To prove that, Logitech introduced two new innovations to the gaming world: Lightspeed, it’s low-latency wirelss-transmission tech. The second, Powerplay, a way to charge mice while using them on a custom mat. Each of these innovations solves the constant whining and excuse making of “my mouse is lagging” or “if my mouse didn’t die I would’ve won”. Yeah sure you would have.

PowerPlay

Let’s discuss PowerPlay for a second, as it’s an entire new thing to the industry. It’s the more attention grabbing subject of the two previously mentioned because it’s something that’s never been seen before in the mouse arena. High-end wireless mice usually come in the box with a fancy little charging cradle or just a standard charging cord to juice the mouse back up. The concept of you just being able to lift, click or glide your mouse for hours on end until you get cramps in your fingers is definitely original. PowerPlay will set you back $100 and it includes two mouse pads (a soft and hard version), as well as a charging mat that sits underneath them. Through the use of electromagnetism resonance, your mouse is able to be charged wirelessly.

Lightspeed

Lightspeed goes a step further when it comes to the latency of previous generation mice. To appease gamers who may have this fear, Logitech is releasing two mice- the $100 G703 and $150 G903. Both of these new mice support the technology and they also include integration of PowerPlay. The ideal situation for Logitech is that gamers invest in their new mice and the wireless-charging solution. Those figures we mentioned may sound a bit pricey to the average consumer, but to a fanboy or a professional gamer it’s nothing but a drop in the bucket.

We here at UE Gaming didn’t get to personally try out the new hardware but an industry professional, Devindra Hardawar of Engadget, did and here’s what he had to say about it: “In my brief hands-on session with the G703 and G903, both mice felt smooth and incredibly responsive. The G703 is smaller and has fewer buttons, but it held up to an Overwatch session that involved lots of fast movement. The G903 felt more contoured to my hand, and if I was a more serious PC gamer, I’d appreciate its configurable buttons. Both mice rely on a small puck that sits at their base to handle the wireless charging. What’s most impressive about that technology? It’s hard to notice it’s even there. A small LED on the PowerPlay pad indicates that the mouse is charging — but that’s it.Even though I play plenty of games on my PC, I’ve never shied away from wireless mice. But more serious gamers, especially those involved in esports, still have their superstitions around them. It’s unclear if Logitech can actually tempt them, but both Lightspeed and PowerPlay are the strongest arguments yet that you shouldn’t overlook wireless mice.”

Logitech’s PowerPlay system launches August 2017 and we’ll take a closer look at it then.